Project Summary ? Viral Testing Core An essential requirement for maintenance of a SPF breeding colony is continued, accurate surveillance for the agents of concern. Over the past two grant cycles we have transitioned from testing at off-site laboratories to performing all screening assays at the Tulane National Primate Research Center?s (TNPRC) Pathogen Detection and Quantification Core (PDQC). The PDQC is administratively located in the Division of Microbiology and was established at the TNPRC in 2004. The primary mission of the PDQC is to provide diagnostic services to the Division of Veterinary Medicine for establishing and maintaining SPF nonhuman primate colonies. A secondary mission is to provide research support to investigators. The development of onsite viral testing capabilities has resulted in reduced costs, eliminated shipping of samples, reduced turn-around time, and provided a platform for easy expansion for detection of additional agents. This section of the application focuses on the function of the viral testing lab, techniques used for identification and detection of the target viruses, unusual results over the past 4 years, assay performance/validation, and current and future expansion of testing capabilities. The Aim of this core is to assure the SPF status of the colony through continued viral testing of existing breeding colony animals and all offspring. The SPF4 colony will be tested a minimum of twice each year for all four target viruses: Type D simian retrovirus (SRV), simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), and herpes B virus (BV) for SPF4. The eSPF colony will be tested at the same frequency for rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV), simian virus 40 (SV40), simian foamy virus (SFV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and lymphocryptovirus (LCV) in addition to the SPF4 agents. The planned expansion of the eSPF colony will require quarterly testing of infants derived from the SPF4 colony. Characterization of the colony beyond the targeted agents supported by the U42 grant will continue through the development and use of additional assays for other potential pathogens.